1. Field of the Invention
Implementations consistent with the principles of the invention relate generally to device management and, more particularly, to the use of hierarchical domains to manage devices.
2. Description of Related Art
All networks are different, but each network is typically built the same way. For example, a network is designed, the necessary equipment is purchased, and the network components are built and customized to operate in a particular way. In an ideal world, that would be the end of the job—the perfect network has perfect uptime, with perfect redundancy, growth potential, etc. The reality is that managing network devices is fast-becoming a full-time job. Ensuring that all devices in the system are up and running, patched against vulnerabilities and exploits, and functioning as expected requires a team of intelligent and committed individuals who understand every aspect of the network. To respond quickly and appropriately to a network situation, information technology (IT) administrators, network administrators, and security administrators need complete control over network connectivity, network access, and network traffic flow.
As the network grows, individual device maintenance can quickly become a logistical nightmare. New devices, new networking technologies, software upgrades—almost every change to the network requires some human and monetary resource. Even in small networks, setting up and maintaining each device individually is time-consuming, prone to error, and likely to require network downtime. Many organizations are now turning towards integrated management solutions to help them configure and manage devices more efficiently.